


Don't Forget About Me

by mintedpotters



Series: Phan Universe [1]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M, Moving Out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-04-13
Packaged: 2018-10-18 10:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10614900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintedpotters/pseuds/mintedpotters
Summary: Alternatively titled: The One Where Phil Grows Up.Phil becomes increasingly aware of the fact that he's almost thirty, with no long term relationships or family goals to be seen. He decides, maybe it's time to move on at last.Dan, of course, doesn't like that idea at all.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so this is a little almost-angst piece I wrote on my Wattpad last year, but I'm clearing out that account, so my favourites are being reposted here. Enjoy!

It started small, just Phil scrolling through his various social media accounts one night, as always. He could hear Dan doing his liveshow in the next room.

A single tweet caught his eye.

 _@_ _freakingphangirl_ : _Phil's_ _nearly_ _30,_ _is_ _he_ _ever_ _gonna_ _move_ _out_ _?_

That one tweet was all it took. Phil leaned back in bed, settling back into his pillows.

 _They're_ _right_ _,_ he thought. _I'm_ _nearly_ _30._ _I'm_ _practically_ _middle-aged_ _._ _And_ _what_ _have_ _I_ _done_ _with_ _my_ _life_ _?_ _Made_ _a_ _fool_ _of_ _myself_ _online_ _,_ _that's_ _what_ _._

Before he realised what he was doing, Phil had opened a new tab on his browser and was searching for cheap flats nearby.

He bookmarked several that he liked, and decided to contact the respective agents in the morning. He minimised his browser and occupied himself with editing his next video.

A couple hours later, and Phil was interrupted by Dan knocking on his door frame.

"Hm?" Phil asked by way of greeting.

"What do we want for dinner?" Dan asked, flopping down onto Phil's bed beside him.

"I dunno, wanna just order pizza? I don't feel like cooking." Phil whined, taking his headphones out and setting his laptop aside.

"Pizza? Really, Phil?"

"Unless you want to cook something at-" Phil checked the time. "Bloody hell, nearly _midnight_ _,_ Dan!?"

"Yeah, I wondered when you'd realise. And you haven't eaten since noon. C'mon then, I'll order pizza. _But_ that means I get to pick the movie tonight." Dan said, slapping his hand against his own thigh for emphasis. "Come on, old man, let's go."

"Shut up, I'm not _that_ old." Phil grumbled, but followed his best friend to their lounge room anyway.

"Alright. So, the usual order?" Dan asked, grabbing his phone to order their very late dinner as he slumped into his favourite sofa crease.

"Yeah, I'm too tired to experiment tonight." Phil sighed, claiming his usual spot on the couch.

"Good to know." Dan laughed, and Phil smiled tiredly, while his mind circled around and around, trying to find a way to bring up-

"I'm moving out."

 _Or_ _,_ _y'know_ _,_ _just_ _blurt_ _it_ _out_ _,_ _that_ _works_ _too_ _._

"You're what?" Dan asked, putting his phone down and turning to give Phil his undivided attention.

"I was thinking, maybe it's time. We've lived together for so long, Dan, and I'm nearly thirty. Maybe it's time for me to start really thinking about settling down." Phil sighed.

"I thought we _were_ 'settled down', Phil." Dan replied, cold and confused.

"I mean.... Maybe.... I should start really _looking_ _,_ like for a wife.... Start a family of my own..."

"Where is this coming from, Phil. Because I know this isn't you." Dan shook his head. "Did _I-_ _?_ "

"No, Dan, you didn't do anything wrong, believe me." Phil rushed, knowing exactly where Dan's thoughts were heading.

"Then why now, Phil? This doesn't make sense, we were fine this morning. What happened?" Dan pressed. He wasn't about to let Phil walk out. Not now.

"Nothing _happened_ _,_ Dan, I was just thinking about it." Phil backed away, knowing and dreading the intense look on his best friend's face.

"I call bullshit." Dan huffed.

"You would." Phil scoffed. "Look, you can keep this place. Or you can get a better one, I know this place isn't the best. And you can afford somewhere nicer."

"Phil-"

"I'm sorry, Dan, but this needs to happen. I've made up my mind. I'm calling places tomorrow. You can come with me if you'd like?" Phil offered, hoping Dan wasn't going to take this too harshly.

"I uh, actually I'm really tired, I'm gonna go to bed. Night, Phil." Dan stood up slowly, so he wouldn't fall over again (thanks hypertension). Then he very calmly walked back to his bedroom, but Phil could hear it very clearly when Dan turned the lock.

Phil sat in silence for a moment, before heading to the kitchen for a drink, since Dan hadn't ended up ordering the pizza, and Phil didn't want to eat without him.

Then, coffee in hand, Phil walked back to his bedroom, pausing in front of Dan's door for a moment. He shook his head clear and continued into his own bedroom, closing the door quietly, completely unaware of his best friend's state in the next room.

\--- 

Dan curled up in the corner of his bedroom after Phil dropped the bomb that would inevitably destroy them both. He wrapped his arms around himself and stared at his door, hoping, _praying_ _,_ that Phil would try and talk to him. Maybe tell him this was all a joke. A _really_ early April Fool's prank.

Dan can only hope.

Because if Phil was being serious? Serious about moving out, leaving him? Dan didn't know if he could handle that.

Oh yes, he's gotten so much better over the years; he hadn't panicked when Phil had gone home for the holidays. He hadn't freaked out when he had to film his documentary without Phil's assistance. But the idea of Phil not being in the next room? Of Phil not being within shouting distance of Dan at any given moment?

It was enough to freak anybody out, and Dan wasn't just 'anybody'. Dan was Phil's best friend. His biggest fan. _Phil_ _Trash_ _#1,_ as he had labelled himself. How was he going to cope without Phil around to pull him out of existential crises, or calm him down during the occasional anxiety attack? How was he going to handle being on his own for the first time ever?

Dan had never lived alone. He'd moved straight from his home, to a uni dorm, then he'd moved in with Phil basically right away.

Finding another flatmate was out of the question; Dan didn't get on with many people like he got on with Phil.

Against his will, though, his mind began screening his friends as potential flatmates.

 _PJ_ _?_ _No_ _,_ _he's_ _living_ _with_ _other_ _people_ _already_ _._

 _Jack_ _Howard_ _?_ _Nope_ _._

 _Louise_ _?_ _Yeah_ _,_ _no_ _,_ _I'm_ _not_ _going_ _to_ _put_ _more_ _pressure_ _on_ _her_ _._

 _Cat_ _?_ _Nope_ _,_ _she's_ _in_ _LA_ _._

 _Zoe_ _?_ _No_ _._ _Joe_ _?_ _No_ _._ _Caspar_ _?_ _No_ _._ _Tyler_ _?_ _No_ _!_ **_Damnit_ ** **_!_ **

Dan struck out with his leg and kicked the side of his piano. Pain shot up his leg and pulled him from his trance-like state.

He checked his phone when it buzzed, and of course it would be the man causing him the most pain.

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _heard_ _something_ _?_ _You_ _okay_ _?_

Dan rolled his eyes but texted back.

 **Bear** **:** _yeah_ _I'm_ _fine_ _,_ _bumped_ _into_ _my_ _piano_ _by_ _accident_ _,_ _dw_ _._

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _okay_ _,_ _try_ _to_ _sleep_ _now_ _,_ _gonna_ _need_ _energy_ _tomorrow_ _if_ _you're_ _coming_ _with_ _me_ _:)_

And just like that, Dan's mood plummeted again. He collapsed into his bed and buried himself in his duvet, wishing he could wake up at any moment now and prove this all to be nothing but a terrible nightmare.

\--

The next morning, he was woken by a loud banging on his bedroom door.

"Just come in, Phil!" Dan grumbled loud enough for his best friend to hear.

"Can't - you locked your door, you turnip. Come on, get up. We've got apartments to look at." Phil called back.

 _Apartments_ _?_ _Wha-_ _oh_ _._

So it wasn't a dream then. Dan was suddenly wide awake, but wanted nothing more than to pass out again.

"Come on! You awake in there or what?" Phil called through the door.

"Wha- yeah, I'm awake. Be out in a minute." Dan called back.

"Right."

Dan heard his footsteps fade down the hall, and sat up in bed.

 _He's_ _really_ _moving_ _out_ _._ _He's_ _really_ _doing_ _this_ _to_ _me_ _._

Dan cleared his head and began searching his closet for something to wear.

He decided on a shirt - he was pretty sure it belonged to Phil first, but who could keep track of these things? - and of course his black skinny jeans. He grabbed his leather jacket and got ready quickly, for once not caring enough to fix his hobbit hair. Phil liked it better curly anyway.

Wait, what was he doing? Picking out clothes he knew _Phil_ liked? Leaving his hair in it's natural condition because _Phil_ preferred it?

Dan summed it up to his not wanting Phil to move out. Simple as that; he didn't want his best friend to go. Nothing more than friendly concern.

Nothing more.

\---

They looked at all of fifteen apartments, all over London. Dan was fine, for the first fourteen. It all got too real when their taxi dropped them off in front of the last flat. Dan felt nauseous and clamped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from being sick all over the pavement.

"Dan? You coming in?" Phil asked, from where he was meeting the landlord.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry. Must've stood up too fast." Dan lied, following Phil and the landlord - whose name turned out to be Lenny. Lenny the Landlord. Okay.

The trio walked up a couple flights of stairs to the available flat. Lenny unlocked the door and let Dan and Phil walk in ahead of him.

"So, this is a one-bedroom flat, yeah?" Phil asked.

"Aye, one bedroom, one bathroom, a study, and of course all the necessities; living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry... Everything you need." Lenny nodded. "This way." He lead them through the flat, pointing out each room as they passed it.

"Hey, Dan, look at this! This kitchen's bigger than ours!" Phil laughed upon seeing the room in question.

"Yeah, nice." Dan forced a smile back onto his face. Usually, he loved seeing Phil happy. He couldn't keep the smile off his own face no matter what he tried, under normal circumstances.

Phil wanting to leave him? That wasn't something Dan could smile about so easily.

"And this is the bedroom." Lenny was saying, letting Phil and Dan walk into the last room.

"Oh my gosh! Dan, look! It's gorgeous! Oh that _view_ _!"_ Phil gushed, running over to the huge window adorning one side of the room. "Reminds me of the view we had in Manchester, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. Gorgeous flat. We loved it there." Dan snipped.

"Yeah, we did." Phil smiled.

Dan rolled his eyes behind Phil's back, but Lenny caught him.

"Someone not too chuffed about the move, eh?" Lenny teased.

"Understatement." Dan mumbled, not really answering Lenny, but more hoping Phil would hear him.

"Yeah, looks like it." Phil grinned back at them, and Dan forced himself to laugh.

"You two been living together long, then?" Lenny asked.

"About six years or so now, yeah." Phil answered, still transfixed by the view.

"Well, I've gotta tell ya, it's nice to see young people so happy." Lenny smiled fondly at the pair of them.

"Thanks, Lenny. Dan's the best, for sure." Phil grinned. "I don't know where I'd be without him."

"Now that is sweet." Lenny clasped his hands together. "I can tell it'll be wonderful having you two living here. We need more love around the old place."

"What? Oh, no, Lenny, Dan's not moving in with me." Phil spun round. Dan felt the slightest sting at the reminder.

"But-"

"No, he's just my friend. Nothing more, right Dan?"

Sting after sting after sting.... Phil may as well be carrying a whip, with how sharp his words were.

"Yeah." Dan mumbled. "Just friends."

 _The_ _best_ _of_ _friends_ _,_ _forever_ _,_ _right_ _Phil_ _?_

"So, anyway, shall we take a look at the rental agreement?" Lenny asked, moving them along.

"I'd love to." Phil grinned. "Coming, Dan?"

"Yeah, I'm coming.".

 _Always_ _,_ _Bear_ _._ **_Always_ ** _._

_\---_

It's been a few weeks now. Most of Phil's stuff is gone. His room's empty. Half of the mugs they shared were gone.

The apartment felt too quiet without Phil's clumsy clattering. The carpet in the hallway felt too rough against his face now when he lay against the familiar surface.

Dan didn't like the quiet as much. He used to treasure it. He used to live for the times when Phil would go off on some errand to the shops and let Dan relax in the silence. But now it felt empty. A ringing silence that pressed down on his eardrums instead of a calm quiet.

Dan found himself drumming his fingers against the tables and counters wherever he went now. Something to fill the silence.

Occasionally he'll get a text from his friends, but nothing yet from Phil.

Dan tried to tell himself it was because Phil was busy trying to set up his new flat. He tried telling himself that this was how normal people functioned, without the constant consultation and company of another person.

Then a week passed, and Dan began to think that maybe Phil really had been serious about moving on. Maybe Phil had decided Dan really was too young, too immature, too childish, too anxious, too unstable, too boring, too lame, too nerdy, too unappealing....

Dan gripped onto his hair by the roots and pulled, just enough to bring some clarity back into his panicking mind.

Phil would never abandon Dan. He promised.

 _He_ _promised_ _._

Dan made a deal with himself. If Phil didn't text him tomorrow, Dan would text _him_ _._

And if all else failed, he had a piece of paper attached to the fridge with Phil's new address written on it in his best friend's handwriting.

It was decided. Dan took himself off to bed, and prayed that when he woke up, he'd have a text from his favourite person.

\---

_DING_

Dan's eyes flew open, and he grabbed at his phone. It was only an hour or so after Dan had fallen asleep. He was blinded by the screen's brightness and immediately lowered it to a more appropriate level, before checking his notifications.

 _There_ _._ He had a text. And his face lit up as bright as his screen at seeing the name beside it.

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _its_ _weird_ _living_ _alone_ _,_ _do_ _you_ _know_ _how_ _many_ _times_ _I've_ _hit_ _my_ _head_ _on_ _my_ _cabinet_ _doors_ _since_ _moving_ _here_ _?_

Dan rushed to type a reply that sounded as if he hadn't just been waiting on a text.

 **Bear** **:** _do_ _YOU_ _realise_ _how_ _many_ _times_ _I've_ _gone_ _to_ _shut_ _the_ _bloody_ _cabinets_ _before_ _noticing_ _they_ _weren't_ _open_ _to_ _begin_ _with_ _?_

There, that sounded casual, right?

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _do_ _you_ _realise_ _how_ _many_ _times_ _I've_ _walked_ _into_ _my_ _lounge_ _to_ _tell_ _you_ _to_ _go to_ _bed_ _because_ _its_ _3am_ _before_ _realising_ _you_ _aren't_ _here_ _?_

 **Bear** **:** _do_ _you_ _realise_ _how_ _many_ _times_ _I've_ _nearly_ _walked_ _into_ _your_ _room_ _to_ _ask_ _your_ _opinion_ _on_ _something_ _before_ _remembering_ _your_ _room_ _is_ _empty_ _now_ _?_

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _do_ _you_ _realise_ _how_ _many_ _times_ _I've_ _wanted_ _to_ _have_ _a_ _pizza-anime_ _night_ _but_ _had_ _no_ _one_ _to_ _fight_ _over_ _the_ _last_ _slice_ _with_ _?_

 **Bear** **:** _do_ _you_ _realise_ _how_ _many_ _times_ _I've_ _tried_ _to_ _edit_ _a_ _video_ _but_ _had_ _no_ _one_ _to_ _ask_ _for_ _editing_ _tips_ _?_

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _you_ _little_ _shit_

 **Bear** **:** _yeah_ _I_ _went_ _there_ _what_ _now_ _m8_

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _m8_ _I_ _was_ _raised_ _in_ _da_ _north_ _ok_ _I'll_ _fight_ _u_

 **Bear** **:** _yeah_ _yeah_ _ok_ _I'll_ _let_ _you_ _win_ _this_ _time_

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _because_ _I'm_ _your_ _fave_ _?_

 **Bear** **:** _believe_ _what_ _you_ _want_

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _whatever_ _you_ _say_ _,_ _Phil_ _Trash_ _#1_

 **Bear** **:** _LET_ _ME_ _LIVE_

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _NEVER_ _MWAHAHA_ _!_

 **Bear** **:** _you_ _are_ _so_ _embarrassing_ _omfg_ _literally_ _get_ _out_ _of_ _my_ _life_

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _yeah_ _but_ _me_ _being_ _embarrassing_ _didn't_ _stop_ _you_ _from_ _sulking_ _when_ _I_ _moved_ _out_

 **Bear** **:** _duh_ _, its because_ _now_ _I_ _have_ _to_ _do_ _shopping_ _by_ _myself_ _you_ _turnip_

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _sure_ _sure_ _I_ _believe_ _you_ _........_

 **Bear** **:** _I_ _hate_ _your_ _face_

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _ok_ _bear_ _you're_ _a_ _terrible_ _liar_ _btw_ _x_ _I'm_ _going_ _to_ _bed_ _-_ _come_ _over_ _tomorrow_ _?_ _I_ _wanna_ _show_ _you_ _the_ _place_ _in_ _all_ _its_ _glory_ _:)_

 **Bear** **:** _you're_ _not_ _gonna_ _let_ _me_ _say_ _no_ _,_ _are_ _you_ _?_ _Ugh_ _alright_ _I'll_ _come_ _over_ _._ _Is_ _10_ _good_ _?_

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _10_ _is_ _perfect_ _,_ _see_ _you_ _tomorrow_ _bear_ _xo_

\---

Dan got out of the taxi in front of Phil's new place and texted the man to let him know Dan had arrived.

 **Angel** **Bean** **:** _I'll_ _come_ _down_ _and_ _let_ _you_ _in_ _hang_ _on_

Dan tucked himself into the doorway as close as possible as the inevitable London rain began again.

The door flung open behind him and Dan fell backwards, only to be caught by a familiar pair of pale arms.

"Good to see you too, Bear." Phil's low voice graced Dan's ears and the younger man spun around to envelope Phil in a giant hug. "Wow, okay, hey there."

"Hey." Dan muttered back, still clinging to Phil.

"Come on, let's get you out of the rain. You know how easily you get sick."

"Yes _mum_." Dan rolled his eyes but let go of Phil to walk inside behind him. Phil led him up to the flat, and Dan realised he definitely did not want to see evidence of Phil's happy home. "Phil?"

"Hm?" They were at the flat door already and Phil was slotting the key into the lock.

"I don't know if I can do this." Dan admitted.

"Do what?" Phil turned to him, door ajar, but he made no move to walk into the apartment.

"See.... All of that. Your new place... I dunno."

"Dan? You're not making sense. Come inside and I'll make us some coffee, yeah?" Phil pushed the door open further.

"Why are you doing this? Is this the last step in your 'moving on' process or something? Making me see how good your life is like without me in it?" Dan asked, his voice shaking.

"Dan, no-"

"Phil, please-"

Phil rolled his eyes and grabbed Dan's hand, dragging him forcibly into the apartment. At first, Dan fought, before he saw them.

All the boxes he had so heartbreakingly helped Phil pack. Still closed with tape, just like they were when he and Phil lugged them up the stairs.

"You haven't unpacked yet." Dan muttered, not really a question, but Phil answered anyway.

"Didn't want to. It didn't feel right without you helping me."

"So you invited me here to help you unpack?" Dan scoffed. "Thanks Phil, as if I didn't hate this enough already."

"Hate what?"

"Living away from you. You forget I've never lived alone before, Phil." Dan said quietly.

"Bear, I'm so-"

"No, I don't want to help you settle in here, Phil. God haven't you noticed? This place doesn't even _feel_ like you."

"What do I feel like, Dan?" Neither of them noticed how close they were standing, til Dan reached his hand out just slightly and latched onto Phil's fingers.

"You feel like home." Dan whispered.

And then, without either of them knowing who started it, they were kissing. Desperate movements that ended up with Dan being pushed against the nearest wall as Phil ravaged every inch of skin he could reach.

*

"Come home, Phil, please." Dan pleaded afterward.

"Hope you haven't filled my room with random crap, Daniel." Phil answered.

"Yeah I turned it into a ball pit."

"You little shit." Phil laughed when he picked up on the sarcastic tones. Oh, Dan had missed that laugh.

They sat leaning against each other in the hallway.

"So, you'll come back?" Dan asked.

"Pretty sure the lease is nearly up on that place, and we did say we'd find a new one instead of renewing." Phil mused.

"So....?" Dan looked up at Phil, and the angle reminded him of the early days, when he would take a six hour train to see Phil on alternate weekends, just to spend the whole time eating junk and watching whatever Phil had available.

"So, move in here." Phil offered. "Lenny already likes you."

"Hm, yeah Lenny is a great reason. But Phil, there's only one bedroom." Dan pointed out.

"I know. If it makes you uncomfortable, we can sort something else out, but um... To be honest, I was kinda hoping to continue whatever _that_ just was...." Phil blushed and ducked his head.

"Oh, _oh_ _."_ Dan's eyes went wide with realisation. "You mean that?"

"Of course I do." Phil mumbled, still blushing brilliantly.

"Then I should get back. Gotta start packing, I suppose." Dan stood and pulled his clothes on. "And Phil?"

"Hm?"

"Can't believe it took you so long to make a move." Dan winked and walked out, letting Phil interpret that however he wanted. It was okay; Dan would be back later that night to finish off their .... ahem, _conversation_ _._

But for now, he had some packing to begin. And for once in his life, Dan Howell actually didn't procrastinate.

\---

**FIN**


End file.
